Suction cleaning apparatus



1933- E. F. MARTINET SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 7, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 hum/roe: fZ/GF/VEF/WA T/A H 4 TWAA/EKZ Oct. 24, 1933. E. F. MARTINET SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS A "WEI Filed Oct. '7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fbGE/VE W: 11

((IIIII Patented Oct. 24, 1933 PATENT OFFICE SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS Eugene F. Martinet, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The P. A. Geier Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio 'Application October 7, 1930. Serial No. 486,995

25 Claims.

The invention relates to suction cleaners, and more particularly to a vaporizer attachment which when combined with a suction cleaner power-driven fan, fan-chamber, and exhaust outlet, together in some cases with a dust-bag attached to the exhaust outlet and a suction nozzle connected with the attachment, and in other cases with a blower hose and nozzle attached to the exhaust outlet, will enable either small particles, or fumes of either insecticide or disinfecting crystals stored in the attachment to be discharged in varying amounts from the exhaust outlet, or will permit the cleaner to be normally operated without discharging crystals or fumes.

Moths, ants and many other types of bugs and insects frequently become entrenched in and inhabit rugs, upholstered furniture, drapes, clothing, closets, cupboards and base-board and floor cracks in the home. Great trouble is encountered and special equipment is usually required to successfully permeate the inaccessible recesses, cracks and places of breeding of these household pests with an insecticide for completely killing, driving away and exterminating the same.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide means whereby the powerful blast of a suction cleaner may be utilized for conveying either pulverized crystals, or fumes from an insecticide into rugs, upholstered furniture. drapes, clothing, closets, cupboards and base-board and floor cracks so that the blast and entrained insecticide will permeate these most inaccessible places for exterminating the household pests, or in some cases for moth-proofing or fumigating purposes.

Moreover, it is frequently desirable to disinfect sick-rooms, in either homes or hospitals, or to purify the air in sundry places, and it is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide means whereby the powerful blast from a vacuum cleaner may be impregnated with fumes or pulverized crystals of a disinfectant for purifying the air and for disinfecting sickrooms.

It is likewise a further object of the present invention to provide means for disinfecting the dust and litter laden contents of a suction cleaner dust-bag either during or following a suction cleaning operation.

And finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple vaporizer attachment for a suction cleaner which may be readily, quickly and easily attached to or detached from the air intake orifice thereof, for carrying out any and all of the above objects, or which, while still in attached position, may be rendered inoperative as an insecticide or disinfectant vaporizer or feeder so as to permit the normal operation of the suction cleaner.

These and other objects may be attained by 0 providing in combination with a power-driven fan, fan-chamber and exhaust outlet, together in some cases with a dust-bag and suction nozzle, and in other cases with a blower hose and blower nozzle, a vaporizer attachment, a pre- 5 ferred embodiment of which is hereinafter described in detail and shown in the drawings, which may be stated in general terms as including walls forming a crystal reagent container, there being ingress perforations for the container, one of the container walls being provided with an aperture for discharging crystals from the container, there being an enlarged egress aperture forthe container, the container being provided with a filling opening and a cover therefor, means for selectively or simultaneously closing the egress apertures, a duct for by-passing air cur-- rents around the container, and means for closing the duct.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective. view showing the improved vaporizer interposed between the suction nozzle and fan-chamber of a suction cleaner of standard construction;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the improved vaporizer adjusted for feeding crystals to the fan-chamber, taken on the line 22, Fig. 3, and showing portions of the fancase, fan-chamber and power-driven fan;

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view of the improved 9o vaporizer adjusted as shown in Fig. 2, and taken on the line 33, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the improved vaporlzer detached from the suction cleaner;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the improved vaporizer mounted on a suction cleaner provided wtih a blower hose and blower nozzle at its discharge outlet;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sect on through the improved vaporizer detached from the suction cleaner mo showing all of the egress openings or apertures from the crystal container, closed;

Fig. 7 is a plan sectional view of the improved vaporizer, adjusted as shown in Fig. 6, taken on the line 77, Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 8-8 Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the improved vapor. zer detached from the suction cleaner, adjusted with the crystal aperture of the 110 crystal container closed but with the egress perforations of the crystal container opened;

Fig. 10 is a plan sectional view of the improved vaporizer adjusted as shown in Fig. 9, taken on the line l0l0, Fig. 9; and

Fig. ll is a vertical cross section taken on the line ll11, Fig. 9.

Similar numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the various figures of the drawings.

A standard type of suction cleaner is shown in Fig. l, which includes a fan-casing 15, and motor housing 16, mounted on suitable casters 17. The fan-casing 15 forms a fan-chamber in which the fan 18 operates, the fan being power-driven from the motor contained in the motor housing 16.

The fan-casing is provided with a suitable air inlet orifice 19 in its front wall 20, and with a curved tangential exhaust outlet 21. A suitable dust bag 22, is connected with the exhaust outlet 21 and carried at its upper end preferably by the suction cleaner operating handle 23.

In Fig. 1, the improved vaporizer is indicated generally at 24, and is detachably mounted on the front wall 20 of the suction cleaner fan-casing, by the detachable locking means 26, which cooperates with the projections 27, extending radially from the attaching plate 28 mounted on one end of the inlet tube 29.

A suitable hose 30 is mounted at one end on the outer end of the inlet tube 29, and carries a nozzle 31 at its other end.

A tubular cup-shaped member 32 has its inturned annular flange 33 mounted on the attaching plate 28, preferably by rivets 34, and is provided with an annular threaded cover 35.

A tubular valve member 36 having an outturned annular flange 37 at one end,is rotatably mounted on the inlet tube 29 and held against longitudinal displacement by the spring ring 38 mounted in the annular groove 38' of the inlet tube 29.

The cup-shaped member 32, the threaded cover 35, and the inlet tube 29 with the valve member 36 mounted thereon form a container in which suitable reagent crystals 39 may be carried, the crystals being introduced into the container by removing the cover 35.

A plurality of-perforations 40, provided in the circumferential surface of the cup-shaped member 32 function as ingress openings for the container, while the rectangular shaped circumferential slot or enlarged aperture 41 provided in the inlet tube 29 functions as an egress opening for the crystal container.

An aperture 42 formed in the attaching plate 28 and annular flange 33 of the cup-shaped member 32 forms a second egress opening for the container communicating directly with the fanchamber through the air inlet orifice 19.

The inlet tube 29 bears a, legend Top and arrow, which indicates the top of the vaporizer when the same is clamped to the fan-casing by the locking means 26. The rotatable valve member 36 bears three legends and arrows, spaced 120 apart as follows: -Crys, Shut and Open.

The annular flange 37 of the valve member 36 is provided with a cut-out notch or passageway 43 which registers with the egress opening 42 when the valve member 36 is rotated so that the Crys arrow is opposite the Top arrow, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. This will hereinafter be designated as the crystal position of the valve.

The valve member 36 is also provided with a plurality of apertures or passageways 44 which register with the egress opening 41 in the inlet tube 29 when the valve member 36 is rotated so that the Open arrow is opposite the Top arrow as shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. This will hereinafter be designated as the open position" of the valve.

When the valve member 36 is rotated so that the Shut arrow is opposite the Top arrow. the annular flange 37 closes the opening 42 and prevents any communication between the container and the fan-chamber as shown in Figs. 6. 7 and 8. Likewise, the imperforate tubular portion of the valve 36 closes the opening 41 in the inlet tube 29 and prevents any communication between the container and interior or by-pass duct of the inlet tube. This position of the valve 36 will be hereinafter referred to as the shut position of the same and is shown as Figs. 6, 7 and 8.

With the various parts assembled as shown in Fig. 1, and with reagent crystals of either a d's infecting, or an inseticide or a fumigating, or an air purifying character present in the vaporizer container, the suction cleaner may be operated for cleaning any surface or material.

If the vaporizer valve is in crystal position, the air and entrained particles of litter, dust and germs entering the nozzle and passing through the by-pass duct of the inlet tube 29 into the fan-chamber, together with air currents entering. the container through the ingress openings 40,

causes crystals to be fed to the fan-chamber through the egress aperture 42.

These crystals will be pulverized by operation of the fan 18 in the fan-chamber, whereupon they will be blovm through the exhaust outlet 21 and into the dust bag 22. The crystals, in coming in contact with the air currents and entrained matter, in the fan-chamber. exhaust outlet and dust bag will have a disinfecting, fumigating, or purifying action upon same.

Likewise, the device may be operated as above with the vaporizer in open position, whereupon the suction created in the by-pass duct of the inlet tube 29 will draw air currents into the container through the openings 40, through and around the crystals 39 in the'container, and through the openings 44 and aperture 41.

These air currents passing through the container will be impregnated with fumes from the crystals which will be thoroughly mixed with, and act upon, the air currents and entrained matter drawn into the nozzle 31 and expelled through the exhaust outlet 21 and into the dust bag.

The device may also be operated with the vaporizer in shut position whereupon the air currents drawn into the nozzle 31 will not affect or be affected by crystals in the vaporizer container; and the closing or cutting off of the crystal passageway and of the passageway for fumes, by moving the valve to shut position, does not cut off the flow of air through the nozzle or to the fan-chamber, as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, andthe closing or cutting off of the crystal passageway, by moving the valve to open position does not cut off the flow of air through the nozzle, or container or to the fan-chamber, as shown in Figs. 5, 9, 10 and 11.

On the other hand, the device may be operated as a suction cleaner with a nozzle clamped to the front wall 20 in place of the vaporizer attachment. After such a suction cleaning operation, the vaporizer 24 may be substituted for the nozzle in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, omitting the hose 30 and nozzle 31, and

the motor may be operated as previously described with the vaporizer in either crystal or open position for subjecting the contents of the dust bag 22 to the action of pulverized crystals or crystal fumes.

During the last mentioned operations, if it is desired to increase the amount of crystals fed to the fan-chamber when the vaporizer is in crystal position, or if it is desired to greatly intensifythe crystal vapors being passed through the unit when the vaporizer is in open position, it is only necessary to insert a coil: or plug 45 into the outer open end of the inlet duct 29 as shown. in Figs. 2, 3, 9 and 10, whereupon all air being drawn into the fan-chamber through the inlet orifice 19 must pass through the crystal container.

When it may be desired to operate the device as a blower, the nozzle 31, hose 30, dust bag 22, and handle 23 shown in Fig. 1, may be removed and replaced by a blower hose 46 and blower nozzle 47, connected with the exhaust outlet 21, and with a small handle 48, as shown in Fig. 5.

Thus the device may be operated as a blower with the vaporizer 24 in shut position, or the device may be operated for exterminating insects, purifying the air, and the like, as a blower with the vaporizer 24 in either crystal or open position with or without the cork 45 inserted in the open end of the inlet duct 29.

It is pointed out that in certain cases it may be desirable to use a liquid fumigating or disinfecting material in the vaporizer, and this may be accomplished by inserting a flocculent material in the container and saturating the same with the liquid reagent.

I claim:

1. In combination with a suction cleaner fanchamber, power-driven fan and exhaust outlet, a vaporizer attachment having walls forming a reagent container and by-pass duct communicating with the fan-chamber, said container being provided with ingress openings, a crystal egress opening communicating with the fanchamber and an egress opening for reagent vapor communicating with the duct, and means forselectively closing either or both of the egress openmgs.

2. In combination with a suction cleaner fanchamber, power-driven fan and exhaust outlet, a vaporizer attachment having walls forming a reagent container and by-pass duct communicating with the fan-chamber, said container being provided with ingress openings, a crystal egress opening communicating with the fanchamber and an egress opening for reagent vapor communicating with the duct, a plug for the duct, and means for selectively closing either of the egress openings.

3. An attachment for a suction cleaner including walls forming a crystal reagent container provided with ingress openings, the container being provided with a crystal egress opening and an egress opening for reagent vapor, and means for selectively closing either or both of the egress openings.

4. An attachment for a suction cleaner including walls forming a crystal reagent container and a by-pass duct, said container being provided with ingress openings, a crystal egress opening, and an egress opening for reagent vapor com municating with the duct, and means for selectively closing either or both of the egress openings.

5. An attachment for a suction cleaner including an inlet tube, a cup-shaped member mounted on the tube forming a crystal reagent container, a removable cover for the container, the member being provided with ingress openings and a crystal egress opening, the inlet tube being provided with an egress opening for reagent vapor communicating with the container, and means for selectively closing either or both of the egress openings.

6. An attachment for a suction cleaner including walls forming a crystal reagent container and a by-pass duct, said container being provided with ingress openings, a crystal egress opening, and an egress opening for reagent vapor communicating with the duct, a plug for one end of the duct, and means for selectively closing either of the egress openings.

7. An attachment for a suction cleaner including an inlet tube, a cup-shaped member mounted on the tube forming a crystal reagent container, a cover for the container, the member being provided with ingress openings and a crystal egress opening, the inlet tube being provided with an egress opening for reagent vapor communicating with the container, a plug for one end of the inlet tube, and means for selectively closing either of the egress openings.

8. An attachment for a suction cleaner including an inlet tube, a cup-shaped member mounted on the tube forming a crystal reagent container, a cover for the container, the member being provided with ingress openings and a crystal egress opening, the inlet tube being provided with an egress opening for reagent vapor communicating with the container, and a sleeve valve rotatably mounted on the inlet tube for selectively closing either or both of the egress openings.

9. An attachment for a suction cleaner including an inlet tube, a cup-shaped member mounted on the tube forming a crystal reagent container, a cover for the container, the member being provided with ingress openings and a crystal egress opening, the inlet tube being provided with an egress opening for reagent vapor communicating with the container, and a sleeve valve rotatably mounted on the inlet tube provided with a notch adapted to register with the crystal opening and provided with perforations adapted to register with the vapor openings for selectively uncovering either or both of said egress openings.

10. In combination with a suction cleaner nozzle, power-driven fan, fan-chamber, exhaust outlet and dust bag, a vaporizer attachment having a crystal reagent container communicating with the fan-chamber, reagent crystals in the container, and valve means between the container and fan-chamber. the valve means including members relatively movable to one position to feed crystals to the fan-chamber for pulverization and relatively movable to another position to feed vaporized reagent fumes to the fan-chamber, whereby pulverized crystals or reagent fumes expelled through the exhaust outlet into the dust bag will act upon air currents and entrained matter drawn by the fan into the nozzle and through the fan-chamber.

11. In combination with a suction cleaner nozzle, power-driven fan, fan-chamber, exhaust outlet and dust bag, a vaporizer attachment having a crystal reagent container communicating with the fan-chamber reagent crystals in the container, and valve means between the container and fan-chamber, the valve means including members relatively movable to one position to by-pass air currents around the container, relatively movable to another position to feed crystals to the fan-chamber for pulverization and relatively movable to another position to feed vaporized reagent fumes to the fan-chamber, whereby the vaporizer will be inoperative or pulverized crystals or reagent fumes expelled through the exhaust outlet into the dust bag will act upon air currents and entrained matter drawn by the fan into the nozzle and through the fan-chamber.

12. In combination with a suction cleaner fanchamber, power-driven fan, exhaust outlet and dust bag, a vaporizer attachment having a crystal reagent container communicating with the fan-chamber, reagent crystals in the container,

and valve means between the container and the fan-chamber, the valve means including members relatively movable to one position to feed crystals to the fan-chamber for pulverization and relatively movable to another position to feed vaporized reagent fumes to the fan-chamber, whereby pulverized crystals or reagent fumes expelled through the exhaust outlet into the dust bag will act upon the contents of the dust bag.

13. In combination with a suction cleaner fanchamber, power-driven fan and exhaust outlet, a vaporizer attachment having a crystal reagent container communicating with the fan-chamber, reagent crystals in the container, and valve means between the container and the fan-chamber, the valve means including members relatively movable to one position to feed crystals to the fan-chamber for pulverization and relatively movable to another position to feed vaporized reagent fumes to the fan-chamber, whereby pulverized crystals or reagent fumes may be blown out of the exhaust outlet.

14. In combination with a suction cleaner fanchamber, power-driven fan and exhaust outlet, at vaporizer attachment having a crystal reagent container communicating with the fan-chamber, reagent crystals in the container, and valve means between the container and fan-chamber, the valve means including members relatively movable to one position to by-pass air currents around the container, relatively movable to another position to feed crystals to the fan-chamber for pulverization and relatively movable to another position to feed vaporized reagent fumes to the fan-chamber, whereby air currents, air currents laden with pulverized crystals, or air currents laden with reagent fumes may be blown out of the exhaust outlet.

15. In combination with a suction cleaner fanchamber, power-driven fan and exhaust outlet, a vaporizer attachment having a crystal reagent container provided with ingress openings, a crystal egress opening, and an egress opening for reagent vapor, reagent crystals in the container, and valve means for the egress openings, the valve means including members relatively movable to one position to by-pass air currents around the container, relatively movable to another position to feed crystals to the fan-chamber for pulverization and relatively movable to another position to feed vaporizedreagent fumes to the fan-chamber, whereby air currents, air currents laden with pulverized crystals, or air currents laden with reagent fumes may be blown out of the exhaust outlet. V

16. In a device adapted for attachment to a suction cleaner, a casing for containing an insecticide, said casing including members forming the casing side and end walls, one of said members having perforations for the passage of air, one of said members having an opening for the mamas valve means including a movable part mounted on the attachment provided with a pasageway, said part being movable to one position whereby air passing through the container and passageway feeds crystals to the fan-chamber to be pulverized by the fan and expelled through the exhaust outlet into the dust bag to act upon matter entering the cleaner through the nozzle, and said part being movable to another position in which the feed of crystals from the container to the fan-chamber is cut off without cutting off the flow of air through the nozzle or to the fanchamber.

18. In combination with a suction cleaner fanchamber, power-driven fan, exhaust outlet and dust bag, an attachment having a crystal reagent container communicating with the fan-chamber, reagent crystals in the container, and valve means including a movable part mounted on the attachment provided with a passageway, said part being movable to one position whereby air passing through the container and passageway feeds crystals to the fan-chamber to be pulverized by the fan and expelled through the exhaust outlet into the dust bag to act upon the contents of the dust bag, and said part being movable to another position in which the feed of crystals from the container to the fan-chamber is cut off without cutting off the flow of air to the fan-chamber.

19. In combination with a suction cleaner fanchamber, power-driven fan and exhaust outlet, an attachment having a crystal reagent container communicating with the fan-chamber, reagent crystals in the container, and valve means including a movable part mounted on the attachment provided with a passageway, said part being movable to one position whereby air passing through the container and passageway feeds crystals to the fan-chamber to be pulverized by the fan and expelled through the exhaust outlet, and said part being movable to another position in which the feed of crystals from the container to the fan-chamber is cut off without cutting off the flow of air to the fan-chamber.

20. In combination with a suction cleaner fan- ,chamber, power-driven fan and exhaust outlet, an attachment having a crystal reagent container provided with ingress openings and a crystal egress opening, reagent crystals in the container, and valve means including a movable part mounted on the attachment provided with a passageway, said part being movable to one position whereby air passing through the container and passageway feeds crystals to the fan-chamber through the crystal egress opening to be pulverized by the fan and expelled through the exhaust outlet, and said part being movable to another valve means including a movable part reagent vapor, reagent crystals in the container,

mounted on the attachment provided with passageways adapted selectively to register with said openings, said part being movable to one position whereby air passing through the container feeds crystals to the fan-chamber through the crystal egress opening to be pulverized by the fan and expelled through the exhaust outlet, and said part being movable to another position to feed reagent fumes to the fan-chamber to be expelled through the exhaust outlet in which position the feed of crystals from the container through the crystal egress opening is cut off.

22. In combination with a suction cleaner nozzle, power-driven fan, fan-chamber, exhaust outlet and dust bag, a vaporizer attachment having a reagent container communicating with the fanchamber, a reagent in the container and valve means including a movable part mounted on the attachment provided with a passageway, said part being movable to one position whereby air passing through the container and passageway feeds reagent fumes to the fan-chamber to be expelled through the exhaust outlet into the dust bag to act upon matter entering the cleaner through the nozzle, and said part being movable to another position cutting off the flow of reagent fumes from the container to the fan-chamber without cutting off the flow of air through the nozzle or to the fan-chamber.

23. In combination with a suction cleaner fanchamber, power-driven fan, exhaust outlet and dust bag, a vaporizer attachment having a reagent container communicating with the fanchamber, a reagent in the container, and valve means including a movable part mounted on the attachment provided with a passageway, said part being movable to one position whereby air passing through the container and passageway feeds reagent fumes to the fan-chamber to be expelled through the exhaust outlet into the dust bag to act upon the contents of the dust bag, and said part being movable'to another position in which the flow of reagent fumes from the containers to the fan-chamber is cut off without cutting off the fiow of air to the fan-chamber.

24. In combination with a suction cleaner fanchamber, power-driven fan and exhaust outlet, a vaporizer attachment having a reagent container communicating with the fan-chamber, a reagent in the container, and valve means in-- cluding a movable part mounted on the attachment, provided with a passageway, said part being movable to one position whereby air passing through the container and passageway feeds reagent fumes to the fan-chamber to be expelled by operation of the fan through the exhaust outlet, and said part being movable to another position in which the flow of reagent fumes from the container to the fan-chamber is cut off without cutting off the flow of, air to the fan-chamber.

25. In combination with a suction cleaner, fanchamber, power-driven fan and exhaust outlet, a vaporizer attachment having a crystal reagent container communicating with the fan-chamber, reagent crystals in the container, and valve means on the attachment for the container, the valve means including a part movable to one position to feed crystals to the fan-chamber for pulverization and movable to another position to feed vaporized reagent fumes to the fan-chamber whereby pulverized crystals or reagent fumes may be blown out of the exhaust outlet..

EUGENE F; MARTINET. 

